John Bowers QC and Benjamin Gray have successfully obtained substantial damages and legal costs for a woman who was refused a ticket on a Kuwait Airways flight from London to Bankgok because she had an Israeli passport.
Mandy Blumenthal attempted to buy a ticket from London to Bangkok at Heathrow Airport from Kuwait Airways in November last year. The airline confirmed availability and was prepared to sell a ticket to her until she produced her Israeli passport. At that point she was refused service and told repeatedly that “Israeli passport holders are not permitted to travel on Kuwait Airways” and that it was their policy not to provide their services to Israeli passport holders.
Ms Blumenthal brought claims for direct race discrimination and harassment contrary to the Equality Act 2010. The airline made no admission of liability, but agreed to make a payment of substantial damages plus costs.
The case has been covered in the Jewish Chronicle and the Jerusalem Post.
